Horrors of the Past
by Mystique1
Summary: This takes place in events before Chrono Cross mainly when a few characters were children. Sort of dark, yet tries to fill in holes in the story. ^_^
1. Default Chapter

Helloooo! Welcome to my first fanfic for this site. I wrote it about my favorite video game ever, and I hope you like this as much as I liked Chrono Cross! ^_^ Thanks, and please review it and tell me what you think! I rated it PG-13 for violence, very brief language and a tiny bit of domestic violence. ; _ ; Anyways, PLEASE review! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I unfortunately don't own Chrono Cross or any of the characters I used so stop suing me!   
  
Horrors of the Past  
  
She giggled as she ran along the beach. Her tiny legs kicked up water as she laughingly ran away from the small boy chasing her. She turned, sticking out her tongue, when a deluge of water splashed her in the face. "Nikkiiiiiii!" she squealed. Her face dripping with the crystal clear water, she stood there shaking angrily.   
Nikki stopped and looked at her, her strawberry colored hair plastered against her wet face. She stood there, flustered, with her hands on her hips. While she started sputtering, Nikki sat down on the rose colored earth and splashed the water about idly. "Awwww, come on Miki, you're no fun," the nine-year-old said, grumbling. He looked out into the sea, with his eyes fixed on the horizon. After scanning the depths of the ocean, he sighed and lay down in the water.  
Miki sat on the ground, leaning back on her hands while she wiggled her tiny toes in the cool water. She pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes as she turned to Nikki. She sighed deep within her heart for him. She loved him so, yet he didn't even see it. Then again, maybe he just wasn't ready for girls yet, they were still very little. Miki smiled. It didn't matter, she'd be with him...forever. Miki had always felt very protective of Nikki, especially with all the monsters roaming about the beautiful coasts of Marbule...  
  
The waves lapped against the ship's wooden hull. Crystal clear droplets cascaded into the air with each crash of the nature's blow. The ship kept plowing on through though...it always did. He stood in the front of it, by the wheel. He watched it turn...and the ship turn in synch. Why was it that whenever he dreamt of his family, even the slightest things seemed to capture his attention? He turned, leaning on his steel sword. He loved his ship, he always would. The S.S. Invincible...it's name alone inspired pride and honor in his heart. But the long trips over El Nido's seas could leave Fargo's heart filled with sorrow. Because, he missed her...greatly...  
  
"Wheeeee!!!" A flash of red went by as Zelbess rolled her eyes. Right on the heels of Miki was her son, Nikki. Miki was racing around their house, with Nikki chasing after her. Their giggles rang through the air as Zelbess grabbed at her stomach. She had known, even before he left...  
"Mooo-om!" Nikki whined as he stood at the other end of the house, "I'm hungry!"   
Zelbess nodded and walked over to the family's oven and began cooking some of the fresh fish she had just bought from Marbule's market. Nikki had pulled up a stool to the marble counter for himself. "Nikki! Get a chair for Miki, da?" Nikki rolled his eyes as he pulled over another chair. Zelbess smiled slightly as she saw Miki swoon with a loving sigh as she sat at the counter as well. Zelbess turned back to the fish, but her mind was on her son...Nikki was special, she always had known. And yet, it sometimes discouraged Fargo. He loved Nikki, that's for sure, it was just...he wanted Nikki to grow up to follow in his footsteps, which was something Zelbess knew Nikki was not into. Ever since he was young Nikki had a passion for performing, and thus, he had clicked with Miki at a young age. Her fish done, Zelbess made her way back to the oven. She bent over to take the fish out, ignoring the slight pain in her chest.   
"I hope it's good...I'm REALLY hungry!" Nikki said earnestly. After cutting up the fish she served it to the two children. They greedily ate it up, and she smiled. But, her mind continued to head back to Fargo with worry. Would he understand? It was going to be soon, very soon...she hoped he would understand, she hoped he would...  
  
A slight chime of bells rang throughout the small temple. The clicking of shoes followed. The small woman walked across the cool stones up towards a strange altar. She smiled and winked at him. A slight growl emanated throughout the temple. "Kill them..." The bells rang out again as she shook her head, and walked out...  
  
Miki walked down the cold streets of Marbule after spending most of the day at Nikki's. She shivered as she pulled her raggedy red scarf around herself. It was always best when she stayed with Nikki...she couldn't bare to stay at her house for long. It pained her to see Father like that. And Mother was always so sad. Every night, she just went home and cried. It was terrible the way she felt. And then, to go to Nikki's house and see the family's love for one another. One day, she would have a house just like that...maybe her and Nikki would have two small children of their own. Miki smiled. She had to not dwell on the present, but rather, dream about the future. Miki saw her tiny home up ahead. She gathered herself together and walked up to the door and knocked on it with her tiny fist. Nothing...figures. She sighed and pushed the door open. They never answered it for her... "Mom? Daddy?" Miki whispered.  
Her mother was around the corner in the family's tiny living room. But...everything was tiny where they lived. Mom was crying...again. Miki pulled herself up onto the counter and saw her father sitting on the other side, grumbling. "Dammed work...who needs it?"   
"How can you say that Alexa?! We have no more money...think of Miki!" Her mother said. Miki shrunk down from the counter after brushing her hand against her father's mug of...alcohol. As she got down, she tripped, knocking the mug off the counter and falling herself onto the ground. She began whimpering as her mother, Elaine rushed to her side. Alexa's eyes got red with a drunken rage.  
"That stupid brat...she's never home to help around the house, and when she is, it's only to mess it up!" Alexa rose from the counter and swaggered over to Elaine and Miki. Elaine turned, sheltering Miki as Alexa grabbed her shoulder.  
Elaine shouted, "Stop that! She's only a child."   
"Are you...protecting her? She's my child, and I'll do as I please!" Alexa said calmly...yet with a malice in it that was unmistakable. Miki whimpered again. "I've HAD it with her!" Alexa leapt at Elaine and Miki, but Elaine placed Miki on the ground. Miki scampered off into the corner as Alexa grabbed Elaine by the hair. She shrieked as he pulled her backwards.  
"Alexa, stop it, you're hurting me!" She whimpered.  
Alexa laughed evilly, "I'm HURTING you?! You ain't seen nothing yet you stupid bitch!" Alexa backhanded Elaine, ignoring her cries of pain. He pulled back his hand to strike again, when a glass of beer came hurtling through the air, striking him in the back of the neck. Alexa collapsed on the ground as Miki stood near the counter, breathing heavily. Elaine pulled herself up off the ground...and started crying.   
  
((Chapter 2 up later! ^_^))  



	2. Mysterious Guest

This chapter will have a little bit more domestic trouble and stuffs! Although, the next one will be REALLY exciting. ^_^ As always, I loooove the reviewing. ^_^;;  
  
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The room was filled with a deathly silence...Alexa, Miki's father, was lying on the ground surrounded by a pile of sharp glass. Miki stood there, saying nothing, yet knowing what had happened. She had done this...and yet, did not feel remorseful...at all.   
  
Is...is he dead? What have I done?!   
  
Elaine knelt on the ground beside her husband. She breathed in and out...heavily. And then, she reached her hand down to his neck. Her hand felt a throbbing under the skin of his neck. "He's alive," she said quietly. Miki nodded, her strawberry hair bouncing back and forth. Elaine placed her hand on her husband's chest and closed her eyes.   
  
Miki wiped a tear away from her eye, the knowledge and realism of what she had done washing over her in a wave of pain. And then, she turned away from her mother. "Tell Daddy...I'm sorry." Miki bolted for the door, her red dress flowing out behind her.   
  
Elaine looked up and saw her daughter run out of the room. She pulled her hand away from her husband's chest, knowledge of what she must do setting over her, and ran after her daughter...  
  
Zelbess bustled about the house she shared with her husband, Fargo, and her son Nikki...although, they would be joined pretty soon by someone else. Zelbess rubbed her stomach, trying to relax her unborn child. And yet, she couldn't help but think what Fargo would feel about all this...  
  
"Mom?" Nikki said as he lay in his tiny bed.   
  
"Yes honey?" Zelbess said with a smile.  
  
Nikki squirmed in his bed nervously, "When is Dad coming home?"  
  
Zelbess tried not to let her personal hopes push through in her answer, "I don't know Nikki...soon, I hope. Good night honey." Zelbess kissed Nikki on the forehead as she blew out the candle by his bedside. Zelbess bustled out of the room and walked over to her own room in their modest house. She laid herself down on the bed, closed her eyes, and went to sleep. I hope my sister gets here soon...  
  
The cold and stormy wind blew past the trees on El Nido's peninsula. A young mermaid walked up to the small harbor near Arni Village. She was a ways away from her home at Marbule, and Irenes simply couldn't swim all that way. She stood beneath a tree, taking shelter from the rain. She was considered very beautiful as a mermaid, with blue skin and light blue hair in curls. She was twirling one of them when another traveller dashed towards her and huddled in the tree's protection under a large black cloak, which hid their features. Irenes guessed it was a woman from her slight whimpering and could tell she was not large.   
  
"Oh, ze weather est terrible today!" She said is a strange accent. Irenes couldn't quite place it though...  
  
"Da, the weather ist often violent," Irenes agreed, "Are you headed to Marbule?"  
  
Irenes turned to the girl and her head bobbed up and down, the jingle of bells accompanying it. This sure is a strange one, Irenes thought to herself. "Da, I am also...to visit my sister."  
  
The girl under the tree gasped. "What did you zay?" Irenes watched as the boat pulled up to the dock. A man dashed out from a small cabin as the rain pummeled down around him. Catching a rope, he tied it down to a metal anchor on the dock and the boat pulled up aside it. Irenes picked up her harp from the ground and slung her cloak over her shoulders.  
  
"Are you coming?" Irenes asked, turning back to the girl sitting under the tree. She was..."Gone?" Irenes made her way over to the boat, and climbed aboard with some help from the man who operated it. They went into the small cabin atop it where they were safe from the rain. He handed her a cup of hot tea, which she drank from, happily.   
  
"Danke. Hmmm...did a young girl get aboard the boat?" Irenes asked curiously.  
  
The captain of the boat turned to her, puzzled, "What's that miss? Another young lady? 'Fraid not. Should we wait for her?"  
  
"No," Irenes said curtly, "I must get home to my sister...she ist pregnant with her second child."  
  
Miki tore across the cold street pavement of Marbule. She winced as she stepped on a rock, her pudgy feet getting cut up by the sharpness of the rocks. She ignored it and continued running. She could here someone yelling behind her. Someone was calling her...Miki ignored their pleas and ran on. She looked for a side alleyway towards the beach and headed down there. It was dark...but Miki felt at home there. She walked on towards the beach. She could hear the waves pounding against the rocky side of Marbule. She smiled weakly, the melody of the ocean ringing in her ears. She loved it. Miki walked slowly towards the edge of the cliff side. She turned, and thought she could see herself and Nikki playing there, tossing rocks down the cliff. Then she turned, and thought she could see her and Nikki giggling while they ate their lunch. Turning again, she thought she could see Mrs. Zelbess calling Nikki in for dinner, while she went home to try and find food to make for dinner. Miki shook her head, ridding it of these thoughts.  
  
"It's not so far..." she said, to no one really, "But...I think Nikki...I hope Nikki would care." Miki peered over the edge of the cliff, into the raging ocean. The waves lapped against the rocks. Nervously, she looked closer. Then, she ran to a small patch of grass, and began weeping. Miki lay there, sobbing, into the wee hours of the morning, and cried herself to sleep.  
  
"Wheeeeee!" Zelbess groggily awoke to the shrieking of her son, Nikki, as he ran throughout her bed room. He had already pushed aside her shades, letting in the brilliant sun. Now, he was tugging on her arm. "Mommmmieeee," Nikki shouted, "Come on, I wanna play outside!"  
  
Zelbess struggled to get out of bed, as the felt the kicking feet of her unborn child from within her. She moaned...it couldn't be too much longer. She waddled out of her room, trying to get Nikki to calm down, but soon enough, he was out the door. "Nikki! Come back here!" Zelbess yelled at him.  
  
"What ist you doing little Nikki?" The front door swung back open, and Zelbess sighed in relief at seeing her sister, Irenes, coming through the door, carrying Nikki in her arms. Irenes smiled at her, "It ist good to see you sister."  
  
"I know Irenes, it's been a long while. Thank you for coming here on such short notice."  
  
Irenes' face turned more serious, "You tink de time ist soon?"  
  
Zelbess nodded, "Run outside and play Nikki, I must talk to your Aunt Irenes for now."  
  
"Awwww! I wanna play with her!"  
  
"Listen to your mutter Nikki," Irenes said, leaning in, she whispered quickly, "We will play later!"  
  
"Yay!" Nikki yelled as he ran out of the house.  
  
Zelbess smiled at her sister weakly while she watched Nikki run off. "He's a handful," she said, "but I love him dearly. And, I think he has a friend coming on the way!" she added, patting her belly.  
  
Irenes nodded, "I am glad I could be here for you dis time."  
  
Zelbess smiled. "Do not worry, it's going to be very soon I think. . ."  
  
Several fronds of a palm tree were pushed aside by gloved hands. She leaned forwards, trying to get a good look at where the mermaid was headed. But, she turned a corner, and was gone. "Zut!" the young girl shouted.   
  
She jumped off the top of the palm tree, and floated towards the end to a soft landing. The bells tinkled. She walked down the street, looking in windows. It was the first day of the month in lovely Marbule, which meant that the people would be out at the grand market in the village square. She passed through it; brashly ignoring all those who spoke out to her. She rolled her eyes, thinking them to be such ignorant fools. She wandered down a side street...obviously not the nicer parts of the city. But, there was someone in this one...thankfully. She walked up to the door and rapped her fist against it.   
  
A man opened it, a bottle of alcohol in his hand. She took a step back at first, but she realized...she needed to use him. "Whaddya want?!" The man said, slurring his words together.  
  
"I need your help...my name iz...Harle."  
  
How did ya like it? ^_^;; Sorry it's kinda short, but this next one will most likely be a big chapter, and probably the final one. So, stick around! ^_~  



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